I love contrast. Contrast in all sorts of ways. Biking from the rain forest in Chile to the pampa in Argentina. Cycling through poor areas all over the world and experience the too rich life style in America. Working the Silicon Valley life during the week, and being an outdoor weekend worrier in the weekend. Loving the busy city life in San Francisco, but only in contrast with hanging a couple pitches up in a belay alone. Contrast is what I seek and contrast is what keeps me exploring.
Today is such a day of contrast.
I wake up sleeping outdoors on top of a picnic table. Its warm (about 15C), the sky is clear and the stars are twinkling above me. Its 6 o'clock in the morning and in 13 hrs my friends from Silicon Valley are arriving at the airport in Las Vegas. The plan is to climb together for a couple days in Red Rocks. But before I will meet them, there are some challenges to overcome. The biggest one, hiking back to the South Rim. Indeed, I am waking up at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, 200 meters away from the Colorado River, 1500 meters below my Oto.
Three days ago, when I entered the Grand Canyon NP, I headed straight to the back country office, to see if I could still get a permit. I was lucky and the last permit (camping site at the bottom of the Canyon) for the next day was mine. As it felt wrong to occupy such a permit by myself, I offer 2 Canadians to share the site with me, which they eagerly agreed on. The rest of the day I hiked along the rim trail. The air is incredible clear and the Grand Canyon is stretching out in front of me. Would be so good to go down into it.
The next day I am lingering around and drink coffee with my British neighbors. They are retired and on the road since 2005 (Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Africa, America). Lots of stories are shared and the life style and politics of the Americans are discussed. When I finally pack my stuff its 12:00 already. As the hike down will take between 4-6 hrs, I am far from concerned. And right I am. It only takes me 3 hrs to arrive at the bottom of the Canyon. I guess the hiking and scrambling around in JTree did me some good (thanks dudes). Most of the way down I do not meet anybody, and I enjoy the amazing views from inside the Canyon. Its so immense, to big to comprehend, to impressive, but its good to be here.
The Canadians are arriving an hr after me, and we go together to the rangers talk in the evening. The talk is about the geology of the Grand Canyon, but with an geography teacher as a dad, I am not learning much. If only I wasn't born in NL, I probably would have followed in the foot steps of my dad... I like geography and the Grand Canyon is all about that.
The next morning When finally daylight appears in the sky, I start hiking in just a tank top. The rim of the Canyon is high high above me but the walk goes smooth. As the trail starts climbing the air cools off and I put on an extra shirt. An hr later the wind picks up and clouds are drifting by. However another jacket keeps me warm and the going is still smooth. Only a little later hail falls, and I have to put on my rain jacket to keep me from cooling of. Didn't I start of in Tank top? After 5 hrs of hiking, I reach the rim, and the temperature is just above freezing point. I am tired, I am sore, but I better keep going...in a couple hrs my friends are arriving. So after 3 minutes hanging around my Oto, I jump in and drive the 4.5 hrs to Las Vegas. These are the times I allow myself to use the gift of K, a Starbucks coffee card (thanks girl). And with wide open eyes I arrive safely in the most crazy town around.
And here I am now, sitting on the ground in the airport of Las Vegas. Waiting for my friends...well... waiting for their hotel, waiting for a shower, waiting for some food, maybe waiting for a massage, and maybe maybe waiting for a bed.
Dag,
Iris (Grand Canyon, 1347 miles)
Today is such a day of contrast.
I wake up sleeping outdoors on top of a picnic table. Its warm (about 15C), the sky is clear and the stars are twinkling above me. Its 6 o'clock in the morning and in 13 hrs my friends from Silicon Valley are arriving at the airport in Las Vegas. The plan is to climb together for a couple days in Red Rocks. But before I will meet them, there are some challenges to overcome. The biggest one, hiking back to the South Rim. Indeed, I am waking up at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, 200 meters away from the Colorado River, 1500 meters below my Oto.
Three days ago, when I entered the Grand Canyon NP, I headed straight to the back country office, to see if I could still get a permit. I was lucky and the last permit (camping site at the bottom of the Canyon) for the next day was mine. As it felt wrong to occupy such a permit by myself, I offer 2 Canadians to share the site with me, which they eagerly agreed on. The rest of the day I hiked along the rim trail. The air is incredible clear and the Grand Canyon is stretching out in front of me. Would be so good to go down into it.
The next day I am lingering around and drink coffee with my British neighbors. They are retired and on the road since 2005 (Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Africa, America). Lots of stories are shared and the life style and politics of the Americans are discussed. When I finally pack my stuff its 12:00 already. As the hike down will take between 4-6 hrs, I am far from concerned. And right I am. It only takes me 3 hrs to arrive at the bottom of the Canyon. I guess the hiking and scrambling around in JTree did me some good (thanks dudes). Most of the way down I do not meet anybody, and I enjoy the amazing views from inside the Canyon. Its so immense, to big to comprehend, to impressive, but its good to be here.
The Canadians are arriving an hr after me, and we go together to the rangers talk in the evening. The talk is about the geology of the Grand Canyon, but with an geography teacher as a dad, I am not learning much. If only I wasn't born in NL, I probably would have followed in the foot steps of my dad... I like geography and the Grand Canyon is all about that.
The next morning When finally daylight appears in the sky, I start hiking in just a tank top. The rim of the Canyon is high high above me but the walk goes smooth. As the trail starts climbing the air cools off and I put on an extra shirt. An hr later the wind picks up and clouds are drifting by. However another jacket keeps me warm and the going is still smooth. Only a little later hail falls, and I have to put on my rain jacket to keep me from cooling of. Didn't I start of in Tank top? After 5 hrs of hiking, I reach the rim, and the temperature is just above freezing point. I am tired, I am sore, but I better keep going...in a couple hrs my friends are arriving. So after 3 minutes hanging around my Oto, I jump in and drive the 4.5 hrs to Las Vegas. These are the times I allow myself to use the gift of K, a Starbucks coffee card (thanks girl). And with wide open eyes I arrive safely in the most crazy town around.
And here I am now, sitting on the ground in the airport of Las Vegas. Waiting for my friends...well... waiting for their hotel, waiting for a shower, waiting for some food, maybe waiting for a massage, and maybe maybe waiting for a bed.
Dag,
Iris (Grand Canyon, 1347 miles)
